So bravely done, fo rich, that it did strive

In workmanship, and value; which, I wonder'd,
Could be fo rarely and exactly wrought,

Since the true life on't was

Poft. This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,
Or by fome other.

Iach. More Particulars.
Must justify my knowledge.
Poft. So they must,
Or do your honour injury.
Iach. The chimney

Is fouth the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaft Dian, bathing: never faw I figures
So likely to report themselves; the cutter

5 Was as another nature, dumb; out-went her,
Motion and breath left out.

Poft. This is a thing,

Which you might from relation likewise reap;
Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iach. The roof o' th' chamber

With golden cherubims is fretted: Th' andirons,

mocking the credulity of his hearer, while he is endeavouring to perfuade him of his wife's falshood. The very fame kind of fatire we have again, on much the fame occafion, in The two Gentlemen of Verona, where the falfe Proteus fays to his friend, of his friend's mistress,

and he hath offer'd to the doom, Which unrevers'd fands in effectual force,

A fea of melting pearl, which fome call tears.

A certain gaiety of heart, which the fpeaker ftrives to conceal breaking out under a fatire, by which he would infinuate to his friend the trifling worth of woman's tears.

5 WAS as another nature, DUMB;

without question be read and pointed thus,

-] This nonfenfe fhould

HAS as another nature DONE; out-went her,
Motion and breath left out.

i.e. has worked as exquifitely, nay has exceeded her if you will put motion and breath out of the question.

(I had forgot them) were two winking Cupids Of filver, each on one foot ftanding, nicely Depending on their brands.

Poft. What's this t' her honour?

Let it be granted you have feen all this,
Praise be to your remembrance, the defcription
Of what is in her chamber nothing faves

The wager you have laid.

Iach. Then, if you can [Pulling out the Bracelet. Be pale, I beg but leave to air this jewel; fee! And now 'tis up again; it must be married To that your diamond. I'll keep them.

Poft. Jove!

Once more let me behold it: Is it That,
Which I left with her?

Iach. Sir, I thank her, That:

She strip'd it from her arm, I fee her yet,
Her pretty action did out-fell her gift,
And yet enrich'd it too; fhe gave it me,
And faid, fhe priz❜d it once.

Poft. May be, fhe pluck'd it off

To fend it me.

Iach. She writes fo to you? doth fhe?

Post. O, no, no, no; 'tis true. Here, take this

too;

It is a bafilisk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on't; let there be no honour,
Where there is beauty; truth, where femblance; love,
Where there's another man. The vows of women
Of no more bondage be, to where they're made,
Than they are to their virtues, which is nothing;
O, above measure falfe!.

Phi. Have patience, Sir,

And take your ring again: 'tis not yet won;
It may be probable, fhe loft it; or,

Who knows, one of her women, being corrupted,

Hath ftoln it from her.

Poft. Very true,

And fo, I hope, he came by't;-back my ring ;-
Render to me fome corporal fign about her,
More evident than this; for this was ftole.
Iach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

Poft. Hark you, he fwears; by Jupiter he fwears. 'Tis true--nay, keep the ring-'tis true; "I'm fure She could not lofe it; her attendants are

All honourable; they induc'd to steal it!

And, by a firanger! -no, he hath enjoy'd her.
The cognizance of her incontinency

Is this; he hath bought the name of Whore thus dearly;

There, take thy hire, and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!

Phi. Sir, be patient;

This is not ftrong enough to be believ'd,
Of one perfuaded well of.

Poft. Never talk on't;

She hath been colted by him.

Iach. If you feek

For further fatisfying, under her breast,

Worthy the preffing, lyes a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging. By my life,

6

I'm fure

She could not lofe it; her attendants are
All honourable; they induc'd to feal it!

And, by a franger!no,] The abfurd conclufions of jealoufy are here admirably painted and expofed. Pofthumus, on the credit of a bracelet, and an oath of the party concerned, judges against all appearances from the intimate knowledge of his wife's honour, that fhe was falfe to his bed; and grounds that judgment, at laft, upon much lefs appearances of the honour of her attendants. Now common fenfe, from his belief of the honour of his wife's attendants, fhould either have made him conclude in favour of hers; or if he rejected the much stronger appearances of honour in her, he fhould, at the fame time, have rejected those much weaker in her attendants. But Shakespear knew at what distance reafon and love are wont to be, and has, therefore, made them keep their distance here.

Ikift it; and it gave me present hunger

To feed again, though full.

This ftain upon her?

You do remember

Poft. Ay, and it doth confirm

Another stain, as big as hell can hold,

Were there no more but it.

Iach. Will you hear more?

Poft. Spare your arithmetick.

Count not the Turns: once, and a million!
Iach. I'll be worn-

Poft. No fwearing:

If you will fwear you have not done't, you lie.
And I will kill thee, if thou doft deny

Thou'ft made me cuckold.

Iach. I'll deny nothing.

Poft. O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal! I will go there, and do't i' th' Court, before

Her father

I'll do fomething

Phi. Quite befides

The government of patience! you have won;
Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath

He hath against himself.

Iach. With all my heart.

S C CENE

Re-enter Pofthumus.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

VII.

Poft. Is there no way for men to be, but women Must be half-workers? we are bastards all;

And that moft venerable man, which I

'Did call my father, was I know not where, 'When I was ftampt. Some coyner with his tools • Made me a counterfeit; yet my mother feem'd 'The Dian of that time; fo doth my wife

• The non-pareil of this-Oh vengeance, vengeance! Me of my lawful pleasure she restrain'd,

And pray'd me, oft, forbearance; did it with

• A pudency fo rofie, the sweet view on't

Might well have warm'd old Saturn-that I 6 • thought her

As chafte, as unfunn'd fnow. Oh, all the Devils! • This yellow Iachimo in an hour-was't not ?-• Or lefs; at first? perchance, he spoke not, but • Like a full-acorn'd Boar, a churning on,

6

Cry'd oh! and mounted; found no oppofition From what he look'd for fhould oppofe, and fhe • Should from encounter guard. Could I find out The woman's part in me-for there's no motion That tends to vice in man, but, I affirm,

.

It is the woman's part; be't lying, note it,
The woman's; flattering, hers; deceiving, hers;
Luft, and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges,
hers;

• Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, disdain,
Nice longings, flanders, mutability:

All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell knows, Why, hers, in part, or all; but rather all.-For 6 even to vice

< They are not conftant, but are changing ftill;
• One vice, but of a minute old, for one

Not half fo old as that. I'll write againft them,
Deteft them, curfe them-yet 'tis greater skill,
In a true hate to pray, they have their Will;
The very Devils cannot plague them better. [Exit.

ACT